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A Nature Lover's Guide to Lincoln Park

Visit new wetlands and meet butterflies in Chicago's Lincoln Park

Rating: 5 out of 5 by EveryTrail members

Difficulty: Easy

Length: 2 miles

Duration: Half day

Family Friendly

Overview :
Lincoln Park is the neighborhood surrounding the northernmost stretch of a parcel of public land, also called Lincoln Park, that is... more » part forest, part lakefront, part wetland and part cultivated garden preserved for one purpose: to make happy the people of Chicago and its visitors.

Lincoln Park rolls gently along Lake Michigan’s jeweled shores. Its green fields are dotted with lagoons, a zoo and conservatory, historic buildings, a working farm, playgrounds and cultivated gardens watched over by statues of Ben Franklin, Ulysses S. Grant, William Shakespeare and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, among others.

On a moonlit stroll, you can hear the wolves howling from the zoo and ponder the cemetery roots of Chicago’s beautiful Lincoln Park. But spend most of your time on a sunlit summer day, enjoying the cool Lake Michigan breeze and the lovely habitats and wetlands that host Chicago's native wildlife.

The northern neighbor to the historic and artsy Old Town district, the Lincoln Park neighborhood has a comfortable, rich feel to it, reflecting the lifestyle of the professionals who live there. The tree-lined streets are designed for strolling.

This easy walking tour focuses on the park, but spend some time walking around the neighborhood as well, where you'll you’ll find plenty of options for food and drink if the park snacks aren't enough. less «

Tips:
Parking is difficult in this crowded city neighborhood, but the area is readily accessible by cab or public transit. Cab fare from... more » downtown is about $10. A ride on the CTA is $2.25 per person.

The CTA's Red Line and Brown lines stop at Fullerton. From there take the #11 Lincoln bus southeast to Wisconsin and Lincoln. Another option from downtown is to take the 151 Sheridan bus north and get off at Wisconsin. You’ll begin your tour at Lincoln Park’s newest attraction, the Nature Boardwalk, and walk your way due north.

If you choose to drive, parking is available at the south end of the park for a pricey $35 for 5+ hours.

Prepare for walking and check the weather. This is a great urban exploration for all seasons. To walk the length of the park from North Avenue to Diversey Parkway and visit all the attractions would take several days, but you can walk its length and glimpse the major features in a day. At any point if you get tired, you can head to Clark Street, just a few blocks west, and grab a bite or a bus and head home. less «

Points of Interest

1. Fullerton Red Line stop

The Fullerton Station of the Red Line was rebuilt from 2006-2009 and opened fully modernized in 2009. Looking east from the platform, along Fullerton Avenue, is a beautiful tree-lined street with lovely vintage homes. Downstairs at the eastbound bus stop, to your right, you'll see the new Depaul University Art Museum. To your left is coffee—a... More Starbucks!

The Red, Brown and Purple lines all stop at Fullerton. While the Brown Line ends service to Fullerton at 1am on weekdays, Red Line trains run 24 hours every day, so the station is open at all times.

Catch the #11 Lincoln Avenue bus heading east to reach Lincoln and Clark.Less

2. Historical Markers—Chicago City Cemetery

Leave the #11 Lincoln bus at Wisconsin and Clark. Cross the street and follow the path. Halfway toward Stockton Drive, leave the path and look to your right in the forested area for a historical marker that reads "Hidden Truths." These markers refer to Lincoln Park's early history as a cemetery.

Lincoln Park was ceded by the U.S.... More Congress to the state of Illinois in 1828, and the newly incorporated city of Chicago bought it from the state in 1842 for $8,000. The land was covered with poison ivy and clumps of willow and scrub oak and was seen as inhospitable and useless.

During a cholera epidemic in 1852, Chicago bought 59 acres to expand an existing lakefront cemetery that was the final resting place for nearly 30,000 early Chicagoans and 4,000 Confederate soldiers who fought for the South in the Civil War. In 1866, worried about contaminating the water supply, Chicago stopped the burials. The 59 acres were put to use as a park instead. But not all remains were moved from the cemetery as the park expanded south. To this day, Chicagoans play softball with the classic Chicago 16-inch ball on diamonds built atop the remnants of an ancient potter’s field.

The boulder that marks the David Kennison burial plot commemorates a famous and long-lived early Chicagoan who was said to have attended the Boston Tea Party. In reality, his grave is believed to be several hundred feet to the south. Less

3. The Nature Boardwalk

From the Hidden Truths marker walk south—maybe 50 feet—to the next footpath, then head east and cross Stockton Drive. The dipping flowered land in front of you leads to the Nature Boardwalk and the entrance is just to your right.

Experience Chicago the way it was 100 years ago—minus the poison ivy!

This urban ecosystem is technically part of... More the Lincoln Park Zoo, but this is a destination in its own right. And the cool thing about it is that the entrance is very close to the northernmost Hidden Truths cemetery markers so you can easily combine the visit.

This 14 acres that include the South Pond feature boardwalks that cross beautifully landscaped sunlit areas with wetland native plants and some forested areas. It's home to frogs, fish, turtles and snakes.

Wisconsin and StocktonLess

MoreLess

4. The Farm in the Zoo

The entrance to the Farm in the Zoo is just north of the entrance to the Nature Boardwalk and you can view the farm when you are on the Nature Boardwalk.

As you head along the boardwalk, you’ll see an impressive, decorative brick structure ahead. That’s the historic Café Brauer.

The Cafe Brauer Patio is a great place to relax away the day. Grab a snack here or a full lunch. It's open for brunch now on the weekends. It's a bit pricey, but you can view the menu on the website and decide for... More yourself. Cafe Brauer has formal spaces on the second floor that are used frequently for corporate events.

Hours vary by season and facilities are closed on some holidays. Check the Nature Boardwalk website before heading out.Less

The Nature Boardwalk leads naturally north onto the grounds of the Lincoln Park Zoo, one of the last free zoos in the country.

Lincoln Park Zoo was established in 1868 with the donation of a pair of mute swans from Central Park New York, and the zoo has evolved beautifully since then. The zoo says it houses 1,200 animals representing 230 species... More.

This is an amazing facility for an inner-city zoo. Many of the habitats are large and open and provide an unobstructed view of the animals. The sea lions seem playful and happy. The lions have room to stretch out. Lincoln Park Zoo also has a full wolf pack. And, yes, you can hear them howling at night.

Don’t miss the many specialized habitats, like the penguin house and the Children’s Zoo, where kids can have a great time interacting with small animals. Truthfully one could spend all day or several days just exploring the zoo.

It’s fun to watch the staff feed the animals. Feedings are usually twice a day—check for the times when you visit. There are generally animals shows as well.

This has to be one of the most beautiful places to lounge and play in Chicago. The Formal Gardens are impressive and welcoming. You'll see groups of people doing yoga and thai chi here at various times of the day. The plants in the garden are changed in the spring and the summer. In the spring, locals know just the right day to show up and collect... More the tulip bulbs when the gardeners are changing the beds.

Across Stockton Drive is the Grandmother's Garden. Landscaped on a more intimate scale, it's a lovely place to read and sun. It's also a favorite in the fall for locals who like to collect seeds from the varied perennial beds here. A statue of William Shakespeare, one of Lincoln Park's many muses, reigns over the peace and beauty supreme. Less

The Lincoln Park Conservatory is 1.3 acres of lush vegetation, tropical trees and flowers, all indoors. It’s a special treat in the winter for Chicagoans looking for a place to shake the cold of Chicago’s icy winds.

Built in 1995, the conservatory is a glass and iron jewel of a structure built by Victorian-era architect Joseph Lyman Silsbee. It ... Morehas four galleries. Three of them showcase exotic plants—many of them giant and as old as the building itself—the palm house, fern room and orchid house. The showroom houses the conservatory’s regular special exhibits that include tulips in the spring and spectacular Christmas shows.
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Cost
Free
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Hours
Dailly 9am-5pm
Closed on some holidays
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Lincoln Park Conservatory
2391 N. Stockton Drive
312-742-7736Less

Head west as you leave the conservatory and formal garden, turn right on Fullerton, go a few hundred feet and you’ll see the entrance to a recently refurbished landmark: the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool.

Caldwell, a famous Prairie-style landscape architect, can be credited with this restful place. Caldwell, who lived to be 95, was a student and an ... Moreassociate of another famous landscape architect, Jens Jensen, and was heavily influenced by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The design of the Lily Pool will remind fans of Wright’s work.

The Lily Pool is an amazing sanctuary planted with thousands of native prairie and woodland wildflowers, where streams of water flow in gentle falls across limestone platforms. It’s not unusual to see people sitting alone reading or meditating here. If you start out talking loudly, before you know it you’ll turn the volume down. The peace travels right inside and makes you feel quiet and at home. This is a great place to cool out for a few minutes before you head on.
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Cost
Free
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Hours
Daily 7:30am-7:30pmLess

The Nature Museum is home to the best attraction in Lincoln Park: the Judy Istock Butterfly Haven.

Stand in the sunny 2,700-square-foot greenhouse and welcome tiny gentle visitors as they alight on your arms. The butterflies are well fed and lively in a beautiful environment of water, flowers and tropical trees. You can even arrange to spend... More the night with the butterflies by participating in a Bunking with the Butterflies Overnight.
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Cost
Adults, $9
Students and seniors (60+), $7
Children ages 3-12, $6
Children under 3, free
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Hours
Daily 10am-5pm
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Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
2200 N. Cannon Dr.
Chicago
312-742-2000Less

Walk south from the Nature Museum to Fullerton and head west. Follow the trails along the North Pond. Look for turtles, fish, frogs and hawks and other birds along the water's edge as you head north. At the northernmost tip of North Pond is the North Pond Restaurant.

Look for shutterbugs going wild in this dramatic setting, one of the most... More photogenic spots in Lincoln Park.

Have lunch or dine in the North Pond Restaurant, which provides views of Chicago skyscrapers looming in the distance over the reflecting pool. It's Chicago, but it feels a lot like Central Park as neighborhood people stop by for brunch and more elaborate meals with their dogs. A children's play lot is in use most hours of the day, and joggers and bikers make good use of the gentle sloping running trails that circle North Pond.

The North Pond Restaurant is housed in an old Chicago Park District building refurbished with an Arts and Crafts look. Chef Bruce Sherman prepares tasty dishes made with ingredients from local farms.
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Hours
Tuesday-Saturday 5:30pm-10pm
Sunday 11am-2pm
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North Pond Restaurant
2610 N. Cannon Dr.
Chicago
773-477-5845Less

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